Oversight

On the Path to Great Educational Results for the District’s Public Schools?

Date: March 14, 2008
Time: 10:00am
Location: Senate Dirksen Building, SD-342
Agenda:

In July 2007, the Subcommittee held a hearing assessing DC Mayor Adrian Fenty’s proposal to reform the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) system. The hearing examined how the Mayor’s proposal would specifically address failing math and science scores, unkempt buildings, poor management, and excessively high administrative costs. DC Mayor Fenty and his team testified that the reform efforts were in their early stages. Thus, it was evident that until the reforms were implemented performance and accountability measures would not be reached. Following the hearing, Chairman Akaka and Ranking Member Voinovich requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a short-term and long-term evaluation of the reforms. The purpose of this hearing is to examine the District’s reform efforts thus far and GAO’s evaluation of the first six months since the reforms began.

Witnesses

Panel 1

Ms.

Cornelia M.

Ashby

Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security Issues

United States Government Accountability Office

Panel 1

Ms.

Michelle

Rhee

Chancellor

District of Columbia Public Schools

Panel 1

Mr.

Victor

Reinoso

Deputy Mayor for Education

District of Columbia Department of Education

Panel 1

Ms.

Deborah A.

Gist

State Superintendent of Education

Office of the State Superintendent of Education for the District of Columbia

Panel 1

Mr.

Allen

Lew

City Administrator

The District of Columbia

Panel 2

Mr.

John W.

Hill

Chief Executive Officer

Federal City Council

Panel 2

Dr.

Jane

Hannaway

Director, Education Policy Center

Urban Institute